Heres Jonny wrote:
Education matters. When I write that running was almost a way of life in Kenya, and you bring up Japan, it is palpably clear you do not understand. Please educate yourself.
I don't disagree that distance running is a way of life in Kenya or rather a way out of poverty. Kenya is the only country in the world where nearly all athletic (as in good at sports) youngsters are funnelled into distance running. I've pointed this out many times. Given the size and youth of Kenya's population, their lack of obesity and First World lifestyles, as well as other advantages, it's surprising they don't utterly dominate distance running.
I have no doubt that with their participation numbers and all the other factors such as low body fats due to lifestyle, Kenya can produce a slew of 3:33/3:34 runners. All it would take is a rampant doping culture, which Kenya objectively has, to turn a few of those into sub 3:30.
Look at the wild difference in the way the Japanese public responded to immediate social collapse caused by an earthquake to that of the Haitians. That's culture (including poverty). If Japan has a strict anti-doping culture where very few athletes cheat and Kenya has the opposite, it explains why Japan can produce so many sub elite marathoners, while Kenya produces so many elite.
If a doping culture in Japan emerged and there were repeated busts alongside Japan producing lots of sub 2:05 marathoners, it would not be racist to suggest we don't know if a Japanese marathoner has run under 2:05 clean. ( in fact I can bet you that the 'anti-racists' here would be the first to do so, just as they would if Ukranians or such suddenly started dominating and taking away the medals of their African heroes).